Monday, April 18, 2016

McCrory sticks to the script - sticks it to LGBT citizens on Meet the Press

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. He appeared on NBC's Meet the Press on April 17, 2016. Here is what happens when a politician is briefed with a series of talking points and tries to conform every answer to every question with one of those taking points:

CHUCK TODD:

But this, as we talked about, this law went further than that. It wiped away the city of Charlotte's ability to govern, to do some things on their own. For instance, they can't even have their own minimum wage now. Why'd you do that? Why'd you sign that? You're a former mayor of Charlotte. Could you accept all these limitations that big-state government has put on city and local control?

GOV. PAT MCCRORY:

I made a point when I was mayor of Charlotte for 14 years, we dealt with fire and police and airports and roads and light rail lines, we didn't impose new regulations on businesses. And I don't think the government ought to be the H.R. director for every business, whether it be in Charlotte or whether it be in Greensboro or whether it be in Boone, North Carolina.

This also demonstrates the failure of Chuck Todd to say “thank you governor but my question was …” Moreover, the issue isn't about minimum wage. Rather, it is an act of the legislature that preempted nondiscrimination ordinances that protected LGBT citizens in most of urban North Carolina.

CHUCK TODD:

I understand that. But you didn't, you know, in your executive order, you didn't, and you're not calling for a passage of protecting gay North Carolinians from discrimination if they're fired in the private sector. Why?

GOV. PAT MCCRORY:

Because I'm not the private sector's H.R. director. I am the H.R. director and the governor of all state employees.

Huh? No follow-up on public accommodations. McCrory essentially said that business can discriminate in employment because they can make the decision to discriminate. It makes no sense and Todd is an unwitting accomplice.

CHUCK TODD:

Did you meet with any transgender people?

GOV. PAT MCCRORY:

I have.

CHUCK TODD:

Before you signed that law?

GOV. PAT MCCRORY:

Not with -- but I've met with transgender people in the past, and I've met with them since, and have had very positive conversations. Now the conversation with a very powerful group called the Human Relations, uh, Human Rights Council, my gosh, they're more powerful than the N.R.A., and they have millions of dollars, which makes me want to overturn United, 'cause I don't know who their donors are either.

But they are putting on a lot of pressure, instead of having good dialogue. And I had wonderful dialogue with a transgender woman who was, and we talked about each other's issues. There's passion on each side of this issue.

The Human Rights Campaign is so spectacularly powerful that he cannot get the name right and he still signed the discriminatory bill. As for that comparison the NRA's annual budget is about $345 million; HRC's is about $35 million and dimwit means Citizens United which doesn't apply to a 501(c)3 which is what HRC is. Perhaps he strayed from the talking point or he didn't get it right.

In those positive, wonderful conversations did you tell that transgender woman that she is relegated to the men's room?